TUNIS, June 24: Tunisians poured scorn on their national team on Friday after a scrappy 1-0 defeat by Ukraine dashed the North African side's hopes of reaching the second round of the World Cup for the first time.

Vaunted in the press as Tunisia's best squad since the country's first World Cup in 1978, coach Roger Lemerre's team put in a nervy performance, often losing the ball and showing little to suggest they could win the game.

“The Carthage Eagles have disappointed us. They don't even deserve to be pigeons,” said 29-year-old Haikel Chaldi.

Another young man, Imed, spent most of the match draped in the national flag but cast it off in anger after the defeat.

“I don't like to make comments on a team that has disappointed us, that did not live up to our expectations and our confidence,” he said.

Tunisia needed a win to qualify for the knockout stage, but hopes were high that they would come through against Ukraine, who were hammered 4-0 by Spain in their opening match.

Tunisia suffered a major blow in first-half injury time, however, when striker Ziad Jaziri was sent off after a second yellow card for a foul on Anatoly Tymoshchyuk.

In the 70th minute, Andriy Shevchenko rifled home a penalty after referee Carlos Amarilla of Paraguay ruled the striker had been brought down by Tunisia defender Karim Hagui.

“After that Shevchenko penalty, I didn't even bother to watch the end,” said Mehdi, 29, a student.

Many of the red and white national flags that adorned buildings and cafes across Tunis were hastily removed after the game and fans quietly made their way home.—Reuters